In 1591, a plague broke out in Rome, and Aloysius volunteered at the Catholic hospital, even after he was told to stop because it was unsafe. Aloysius is considered the patron saint to those living with HIV and AIDS. ADA gay man living in Toronto said McNichols’s art helped him cope when he was diagnosed with HIV in the 1980s. The Jesuits would eventually petition the Vatican to make the association of Aloysius with HIV and AIDS official. He’s still a priest, living in New Mexico, where he draws icons that hang in Catholic churches throughout the world.

Source: Washington Post December 01, 2019 11:03 UTC